"There’s no negotiating now": OSU HC Mike Gundy doesn't aim to entertain NIL talks as CFB season kicks off in full force

Mike Gundy is all set to get things started for the 2024 college football season. The long-term Oklahoma State coach has his eyes on something big in the upcoming season and is trying to take away any potential distraction.

The world of college football is fast adopting the hallmarks of the professional stage, especially with the advent of the transfer portal and NIL. Nonetheless, Gundy doesn't want this to cause distractions for his team and has a strong message for his players ahead of the season.

“That’s what I told the players. There’s no negotiating now,” Gundy told reporters. “The portal’s over. All the negotiation’s history. Now, we’re playing football. Just coaching and playing football.

“The business side of what we do now is we have to have those conversations with them. 'Tell your agent to quit calling us and asking for more money. It’s non-negotiable now. We’ll start again in December.'”

Mike Gundy unsure of Oklahoma State’s dominance in the Big 12

With Texas and Oklahoma out of the Big 12 to team up with the Southeastern Conference, a couple of teams have been touted as the new powerhouse in the conference. Oklahoma State, who made an appearance in the Big 12 championship game last season, is in this mix.

However, Mike Gundy is uncertain if the Cowboys will be able to pull a dominant stretch in the league over the next few years. This is particularly because of the changing composition of the conference. The Big 12 will have four new teams next season after adding four in the last.

“I don’t know that any of us will be able to read into that at this point. We’re learning about the new teams that are coming in,” Mike Gundy said during the Big 12 media days.

“In my opinion, as we move forward, there’s going to be a lot of parity. I should say more parity in college football than there has been over the last few years.”

The Cowboys ranked No. 17 in the preseason AP Poll top 25, boasting as the second-highest-rated team in the Big 12. This places the team in a good position to compete in the upcoming season.

“I really haven’t paid much attention to preseason polls,” Mike Gundy said. "They’ve always said the good news is we get to play all the games. I’m really excited about our conference."

Oklahoma State opens the 2024 season against South Dakota State on Aug. 31. The team will aim to secure the Big 12 championship this season, which guarantees them a place in the College Football Playoff.